Means for supporting and locking removable panels



SEEHTH ET AL 5 ANS FOR SUPPORTING AND LOCKING REMOVABLE PANELS 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed July 28, 194

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Oct. 23; 1951 M. SMITH ETAL 3 74 MEANS FQR SUPPORTING AND LOCKING REMOVABLE PANELS Filed July 28, 1948 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 INVENTOR. ME/PTO/V .SM/Tfi u FRA/v/(A. Les/(over 60.2w .vm wm ATTORNEYS patented Oct. 23, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MEANS FOR SUPPORTING AND LOCKING REMOVABLE PANELS Merton Smith, Cleveland, and Frank A. Leskoved, Geneva, Ohio, assignors, by mesne assignments, to McCabe-Powers Auto Body 00., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application July 28, 1948, Serial No. 41,074

3 Claims. 1

This invention is concerned with means for holding in place a removable panel covering an opening in some wall or externally exposed surface. Our invention provides means carried by a removable panel on its inner side, and hidden from view when the panel is in place, to cooperate with hidden means adjacent the margin of the opening to be covered, for supporting and locking the panel in its active position, while allowing its ready removal whenever desired.

An illustration of the use of the invention is on a wheel housing of the body of a utility truck, and in such installation the panel overlaps the outer face of the housing wall and normally retains its position over the opening, but whenever desired is readily removable to allow complete access to the wheel. An object of the invention is to provide such removable panel and such cooperating means on the member having the opening to be covered, as will enable the ready mounting of the panel tightly on the member in a manner which will not work loose from subsequent vibrations, as when the vehicle travels, while the panel is readily removable whenever desired.

To this end, we have provided an inwardly projecting stationary ledge within the member having the opening and above the top of the opening, and we have provided the panel adjacent its top with an inwardly offset portion carrying an outwardly projecting ledge adapted to rest on the ledge of the member. This enables the upward portion of the panel to be passed upward diagonally through the opening to bring the panel ledge behind and above the stationary ledge, whereupon the mere inward swing of the lower edge of the panel will bring its ledge over the stationary ledge, in which position the panel will become supported. At the same time, we provide locking means for the lower portion of the panel which effectively locks it to the wall.

Our invention includes the panel supporting and locking means above outlined, and also the more detailed construction thereof hereinafter fully explained in connection with the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a motor vehicle of the utility truck type having a body equipped with our removable side panel; Fig. 2 is the detail illustrating the coacting ledges of the body and panel, being a vertical section continued as a perspective in a position indicated, for instance, by the line 22 on Fig, 1; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the position of the panel in the act of being inserted into its supported position; Fig. 4 is an elevation looking outwardly from the inside of the panel and showing it in its locked position; Fig. 5 is a perspective looking outwardly from behind the panel and showing the lock in its engaging position, the upper edge of this view being a substantially horizontal section through the panel and adjacent portion of the body, as indicated by the line 55 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a perspective similar to Fig. 5, showing the lower end of the panel in the act of being swung into a locked position.

In Fig. 1, A indicates a suitable vehicle carrying a body B which overhangs the rear wheels of the vehicle, one of which is shown at C. The body has a substantially vertical external wall and is indicated as having compartments for tools, normally closed at their outer faces by doors b. Adjacent the upper portion of the wheel C the body wall B is formed with an opening of considerable size, which is normally covered by the panel In of this invention. The wall 20 of the body has a longitudinal frame member 2| (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) which extends over the opening of the wheel housing, and with which the panel coacts as hereinafter explained.

The frame member 2! is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, as having a vertical portion 20, then an outwardly extending portion 22, then a downwardly extending portion 23, which continues outwardly at 24 and then downwardly at 25, form ing in this region a portion of the outer wall of the body. At the lower end of the portion 25 the member is formed with a return bend 26 and then continuous upwardlyat 21 and finally inwardly at 28. The return bend 26 defines the top of the opening to the wheel housing, and the portion 28 of this frame member provides the ledge heretofore mentioned to support the panel.

The panel I0 is a sheet metal member formed at the top of its external portion with a return bend ll providing a downwardly extending reinforcing region 12 from which the panel extends inwardly at E3, preferably at a right angle to its main portion, thence upwardly at I4. To the outer face of the portion 14 of the panel we secure, preferably by welding, an angle bar having an outwardly projecting portion l5. This portion 15 constitutes the panel edge heretofore mentioned which may be caused to overhang and rest on the body ledge 28.

When the panel is being put in position its upper portion is passed through the wall opening and moved diagonally upward so that the rib provided by a double portion l l and I2 comes against the outer face of the body wall, just above the body return bend 26 defining the top of the opening, as shown in Fig. 3. In this position the panel ledge [5 lies behind the body ledge and slightly higher than such ledge. Then when the panel is swung into vertical position, as shown in Fig. 2, the ledge l5 slides across the top of the body ledge 28 and effectively supports the panel. At its end margin the panel overhangs the housing opening, thus making an abutting engagement with the body wall at both vertical edges of the panel.

To prevent leakage from weather conditions 3 into the; space; behind the top edge ll; of the panel, We provide a shield 30 which is a rigid part of the body and extends downwardly to overhang the top portion of the. panelwhile leaving a sufficient space for the swinging: ofq'the' panel to or from the closed position. This shield 30 is shown as a plate having; an.inward1y; ex: tending top portion 3|, which-1 rests on: the-.body. frame portion 22 and is preferably-welded thereto.

25 and preferably adjacent its lower end is inclined outwardly, as shown at 32 forming'a draining portion and increasing the space behind the shield. Ati its: longitudinal: ends. the. shield; is snugly connected With the b dy. wall. so that; the spacebetweenthewall proper. and shield: comprises. aipoclreteentirely ClOSEdEBXCCIJt at;.the.-. bate. tom entrance.

As. heretofore. mentioned, we. provide means for loch-ingthelowen portiomof the-panel snugly tothe-bodywall while; enabling. its. disconnection whenever. desired; This-means. is illustrated; in Figs. 43.5, and.6; As there..- show-n: thebody; wall 20 hasan inwardly. projecting flange ZQ-defining the .end-ofithe-mheelhousing-opening. The-panel ill-1 overhangs this; opening at. each .end and then by. a.,ret'urn.bend at: I hasiai reinforcing. portion Iflilyingagainstithe.inner.=face of the panel. At its inner edge this. portion. I]: is.bent; first; away from;theapanel;andatheniparallel with the panel and.'finally. bacl to,'the inner. face of. the panel to form a vertical tubular housing-,' L8,;

Slidably. occupying the. housing: 18,. is, a. block 411' through which extends. the free end. portion ofza. U-shaped resilient; rodzdd; The upper end portion 42 of. this. I'Od-I is. anchored; to the panel by; a suitableclip 43: welded tothe panel; The action. of: the U.-shaped: spring tends to. elevate the bloch-Mkinthe housing. l8:

The.-.lo w.er-.-edge. of; the body flange; 29 is but. off diagonally, ass shown ata 2190., in; Figs.- 5 and: 6; When: the panel is. inits closed; position the free end of? the: rod; 4 I; extends; behind; and; engages this inclined;- facerof the body flange, Thiseffectively; locks the; panel: in.that.-r.egionto the body walk and; maintainsa, tight; connection; at. all times; notwithstanding; vibrationsmesmting; from the-travel .QffthGiYfihiClG;

IfciSa Q be: understood: that-the: construction of the-housing l8; blockt lllland wire springs, shown ns eS e 6, up iee e :at; e .othew zcf the panel, asuindicatedlin Fig. 4; As-the; two housin si H ser. he. bol 49 tand close tQ:; he ex-noseddac fth c o xfiena 3;wh he pane1 n; plac such mus n s se ve... lso; to prevent ny enei u i ei;m em nt h losed ane It will be understood from the, abovedescrip- .93 flietwh thanenel; 1 91%? o rla he ed p in attheo an at e two ti- 4. d he ening-3 lme n e n y nu eneeetienfih rewith rquehe t he m r n and by eesen i. e; q ste t c ng; i action of; the two.rods,4-l against, the body. inclines.2 9 a, there is no chance for even a rattling of the. ane during the travel of the vehicle.

When, it is, desired; to; remove the; panel, it. is only.-ne.cessary ,for. the operator. to .reach beneath the panel andgrasp the;rods,4l and pullthem downwardly to cause the extreme ends of the rodstoclearthe lower. end of 'the-fiangesZS, then thepanel is free to be swung outwardly atits lower end, as-indica ted in Rig. 6. This outward swinging gradually frees the panel ledge l5 from the... pnqr n e ..as c te n i 3':

The downwardly extending portion of* the shield is spaced from the body/frame; member 1 hiddenfrom view for snugly holding it with its margins against the body wall. The locking means provided may. remain in locked position as long as. desired, but whenever it is necessary to remove. the panel, as, for instance, when a tire is to be changed, the panel may be readily released. andthereafter as readily restored.

We claim:

1. The combination of a wall having an opening to be covered and having an inwardly proie t ne supporting m e a ove he. pen ng.

a panel adapted to, cover the openineat'its, top and; ends, said panel having an outwardly; pro; J'e in suppor n m mb r: he dy the panel above'and'behindthe top thereofi and adaptedito overhang the body membe,r, said panel; carrying adjacent itsends inwardly projecting. members adapted to coact withthe end: of thawall opene. ing to limit the longitudinal movement of, the panel, and means for locking the two lower corners of .the panel to thebody-wa-ll, saidlmeans including proj ecting. members spring-pressedaum wardly, thebody havingupwardly inclined.-abut.-. merits. adjacent, the ends. of the opening; adapted to be engaged: by said projecting members.

2. The; combination of a body having a wall with; an. opening to be covered and; a. panel adapted.:to cover the opening. and overlap .itsend margins; saidipanel carrying on. its. inner side adjacent; its top; means adapted. to co actz; with a. supporting member on the body, said panel carrying. adjacent itsv ends inwardly, projecting housingsadaptedto coact with. the. endof: the wallopening: tolimit the longitudinal movement of the panel and means for locking the twq-iower corners of the paneltothe-bodygwall said;means including blocks. slidably mounted: in} the". house ings and; longitudinally projecting;- means, con-e nectedthereto and: spring-pressed upwardly, the body having inclined. abutments adjacent; the ends of the; Openin adaptedjta be; engaged by said projecting means.

3. The combination of: a body. having a. wall with an opening.;tohe covered; aipanel adapted to cover the opening and:- overlap the ends? there..-. of a U-shapedspring having;one.of-:its1arms anchored to the inner, faceof thewpanel andithe other arm adaptedito project; saidbody havingat theends of its opening an abutmentzinclinedmn its inner edge; the projecting; portion of the spring adapted to; engage. such, inclined edge when the .panel is vertical that itgmays maintain a: t ht: n em nt b twe n; the: oyerhan ine po ti n h an a d;the;wa

M BTON SMI FH FRAN 5 EEERE Q E E The following references are of record" in the file of. thisv patent;

UNITED sTATEsrPA'IENTs 

